By charter of endowment, dated 5th August, 1541, Henry VIII. granted to the Bishop of Chester and his successors the Archdeaconries of Chester and Richmond, with all their appurtenances, rights, &c.; the Manors of Abbots Cotton in the county of Chester; lands in the parishes of St. Mary, St. Martin, St. Michael, St. Werburgh, and Trinity in the city of Chester; city lands in Mancot, Harden, Christleton, Nantwich, Northwich, Middlewich, Over, Wollaston, Neston, Heswell, Bidston, Sandbach, Thornton, Eccleston, Rosthern and Davenham; parcel of the late Monastery of St. Werburgh; the advowson of Over Rectory; pensions issuing out of Handley Rectory, Budworth Chapel, and Bidston Rectory; parcel of Birkenhead Abbey; the advowsons of Tattenhall and Waverton; rectories of Clapham, Esingwold, Thornton, Stuart, Bolton-in-Lonsdale, Bolton-le-Moors, and prebend of Bolton-le-Moors in Lichfield Cathedral; and the Manor of Weston in the county of Derby. But the See of Chester did not long remain in possession of these rich endowments, for in 1546 the arbitrary and avaricious Henry despoiled the Bishopric of the manors and real estates narrated in the above charter of endowment, and in lieu thereof compelled the Bishop to accept of the rectories and advowsons of Cottingham in Yorkshire, Kirby, Ravensworth, Pabrick, Brompton, Wirklington, Ribchester, Chipping Mottram, and Bradley in Staffordshire, Castleton in Derbyshire, and Wallasey, Weverham, Backford, and Boden in Cheshire, paying as a chief rent £15 19s. 9d.